BERKELEY, Calif. - No. 38 Fresno State has advanced to the second round in the NCAA Tournament after defeating No. 19 Minnesota 4-3 at the Hellman Tennis Complex in Berkeley, Calif., Friday afternoon.
After dropping the doubles point, the Dogs fought back in singles, earning victories on courts three, four, five and six. David Ayoun clinched the match on court six in a three-set match.
In straight set victories, Nick Papac and Jean-Charles Diame started the day off for the Dogs defeating their opponents on courts five and three. Papac triumphed over Brendan Ruddock, 6-2, 6-4, tying the score 1-1. Diame was victorious over Sebastian Gellego, 6-4, 6-4 giving the Dogs the lead 2-1.
On court two, No. 108 Remi Boutillier fell to Rok Binn, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 bringing the score 2-2.
Francis Alcantara was one set up on the Gophers' Phillip Arndt when the two went into a third set and Alcantara gave up only one game in the third set, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 pushing the Dogs ahead of the Gophers, 3-2.
On court one, de Villiers fell to No. 73 Tobias Wernet in a three set match, 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-4, once again tying the score 3-3.
In the final match of the day, Ayoun fought hard in a nail-biting three set match. Falling in the first set, 5-7, he rallied back in the second, 6-3, and pushed to an extra game in the third set to get the victory, 7-5.
Fresno State will face 14th-seeded California at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Fresno State 4, Minnesota 3
Doubles
1. No. 71 Phillip Arndt/Sebastian Gallego (MINN) def. No. 15 Remi Boutillier/Rikus de Villiers (FS), 8-4
2. No. 76 Rok Bonin/Julian Dehn (MINN) vs. Jean-Charles Diame/Francis Alcantara (FS), 6-4, unf.
3. Juan Pablo Ramirez/Tobias Wernet (MINN) def. Siddarth Alapati/Nick Papac (FS), 8-4
Singles
1. No. 73 Tobias Wernet (MINN) def. Rikus de Villiers (FS) 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-4
2. Rok Bonin (MINN) def. No. 108 Remi Boutillier (FS) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
3. Jean-Charles Diame (FS) def. Sebastian Gallego (MINN) 6-4, 6-4
4. Francis Alcantara (FS) def. Phillip Arndt (MINN) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1
5. Nick Papac (FS) def. Brendan Ruddock (MINN) 6-2, 6-3
6. David Ayoun (FS) def. Julian Dehn (MINN) 5-7, 6-3, 7-5
Order of Finish:
Doubles: 1, 3* (Court two did not finish)
Singles: 5, 3, 2, 4, 1, 6*